Get Over It
by darkwaterseraphim
Summary: Naruto's Deidara went through the Gate and lost his memory. Ed and Al have just begun their journey to become state alchemists and have stumbled upon Deidara.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note: I know so very little about **_**Naruto **_**and its characters, so the way I portray them may be less than satisfactory. I apologize in advance to Deidara fangirls-I had to get this first part out of the way so the rest of the plot could flow more smoothly. Forgive me ArtsyIowan. T_T**

Chapter 1:Shooting Star

An explosion rocked the foundations of the world. A gold light streaked across the sky.

A group of nine men in black cloaks with red clouds watched as the light was unexpectedly snuffed out. Each man was odd in his own way-one seemed to be more spectral than flesh, another was bleeding profusely, one wore a mask, and yet another seemed to have blue scales.

"Was that-," a man who resembled a plant breathed.

"Where did Deidara-sempai go?" the orange mask asked.

"I saw a gate," a man with red irises stated.

***

A blond girl lay on her side. The twitterings and flutterings of the birds did not stir her, yet she wasn't dead.

Suddenly, the birds lifted to the sky. The dirt road was damp with the morning dew, but loud, clanking footsteps could be heard in the distance. It sounded like someone was wearing armor.

Two travelers turned the corner-a tall man in armor and a young man.

"Ed! Ed, there's a dead girl over there!" a tall man exclaimed. The two rushed over to the girl.

The two were a rather odd couple. The tall man in the heavy suit of armor did not seem to be tired or hot in the tin can. His eyes glowed red and his voice was slightly childlike. The other was a young man with blond hair and gold eyes. He was substantially...smaller than his companion, choosing a red jacket and white gloves over armor.

Ed put his left hand to the girl's throat and felt for a pulse or a breath. He felt both.

"She's alive, Al. Come on, let's get her to a doctor!"

"But what if she knocks on me and finds out?"

"She's got a pretty high fever. If she finds out, we can pass her off as delusional," Ed said as he helped Al to pick the girl up. The girl had a black dress on that had crimson clouds all over and was tattered and filthy.

The two brothers rushed back to the town.

***

"She's just got a little cold," the doctor announced. "Her fever should go down by eight tonight so she'll be ready to travel by morning. She keeps murmuring names like 'Sakura' and 'Tamari'. Odd names don't you think?"

"I'll say," Ed laughed, "But...she could be a foreigner. Well, doc, we'll come back this afternoon to see if she's okay," Ed said. Al followed his brother.

After they left, the girl began coughing hard. As she coughed, two others coughed with her. The doctor looked around quizzically then shook the thought away.

***

Ed and Al returned to find the doctor inspecting the blond girl's throat.

"How goes the work?" Ed asked.

"This girl has an odd cough," he grumbled, "It's like she's got three throats or something, and it's driving me up the wall."

"Move over, I'll wake her up," Ed sighed. The doctor moved away. Ed shook the girl.

"Hey, lazybones, it's time to wake up."

The girl stirred. She opened two pale blue eyes a little. Then, her eyes shut tight as she yawned and stretched. As she yawned, two extra mouths opened. Ed pulled away when he saw that the girl had mouths on her hands. The girl sat up and tugged at her dress.

"W-why am I in a dress?" she asked, her eyes a little squinty from just waking.

"Well, most girls like to wear dresses," Al pointed out.

"But, who am I?" she asked.

"Do you not know, miss?" the doctor asked.

'No. I remember fire and light and not being able to breathe...but me? I don't remember who I am."

"Amnesia, eh? I haven't had an amnesia case in eight years!" the doctor said almost happily. Then, he began to wax on and on about amnesia while the three listened. This was obviously a topic he loved and was good at. He finished with, "This looks like partial amnesia after a traumatic event. You should begin to remember fragments of who you are almost immediately."

"Look in your pockets for identification," Al suggested.

Deftly, the girl unzipped the front of her dress. Beneath she wore a midriff with a fishnet-like shirt poking out from beneath and some odd pants. Ed froze.

The girl looked around and found that she had two pouches on either side of her waist. She opened them up.

"It's clay," she stated.

"You might be an alchemist! Do you have a state alchemist's watch?" Al asked.

"Maybe," the girl said. She searched her pockets. She pulled out a small scroll and opened it. There was a writing that none of them could recognize. She turned it upside down and read from left to right, top to bottom.

"It's a letter to me I think. It's from a guy named Pein who wants me to catch a raccoon. He's calling me 'Deidara'."

"A raccoon? What does that guy want a raccoon for?"

Ed raised an accusatory finger at Deidara with the face of a haunted man, "Man...you are a man...." Deidara looked at himself.

"Of course I'm a guy! Did I ever say I wasn't, shorty?" Deidara yelled.

"Who are you calling so small an amoeba could squish you?" Ed exploded.

"You!" Deidara yelled. Ed pulled out a piece of chalk and Deidara reached into one of his pouches. The two glared at each other for a long minute. Suddenly, Deidara's face turned tomato red and he fainted.

"Don't stress her-him out," the doctor snapped, "He's still sick. Leave him alone till morning."

"We won't be back for him," Ed growled.

"You know, this young man is your age, but someone has done cruel human alchemy on him. By the structure of his bones and age, I'd say that the alchemy was applied shortly after birth if not while in the womb."

Edward turned away from Deidara's feverish face.

"Brother, don't be so mean. Deidara is in need. He's got amnesia and those mouth-hands. Maybe we can help him," Alphonse chastised.

"How?"

Al lowered his voice and reminded Ed, "We're going after something that could help him. And if he's with us he could be a big help. He could know alchemy."

Ed glared at Deidara. The doctor was placing ice packs all over.

***

It was late in the morning when Deidara finally woke. The doctor seemed to be out. Deidara stood and staggered to the window. He wasn't familiar with the glass, but he looked out on the street. There were signs with writing that he couldn't read.

Deidara began to fold his arms but something made him stop and look at his hands. Both palms faced him. They looked like normal palms. Suddenly, they opened a little two tongues stuck out a little.

"Ugh," he groaned, disgusted. He held his hands away from himself as though they'd infect the rest of him. Something in the back of his mind told him to flex a muscle in each hand to close the mouths. Sure enough, he kept the weird mouths closed as effortlessly as standing.

He staggered over to his bed and shrugged into the tattered cloak. Somehow, he felt that he should have a hat to go with it. But he didn't have his hat, so he'd have to go without it.

Footsteps closed on the little medical practice. Deidara slid into a shadow. For some reason, he felt that he had to be ready for an attack.

Ed and Al burst in, "Surprise!"

"We bear gifts for the sleeping beauty!" Ed laughed holding up a slim box. Al laughed along holding a similar box.

***

Deidara gazed at his reflection. His tattered cloak had been replaced by a new black one with red trim and a red symbol on the left sleeve. He'd been given new clothes, too. Apparently, his previous look was too foreign.

Ed pulled at Deidara's topknot.

"Hey!" he yelped at the sudden pull.

"Your ponytail is too high. You'll look like a girl if you don't get it fixed. There. That wasn't so bad, was it?" Ed said as he re-did the topknot. When Deidara looked up again, he found that he exuded the same feel as Ed and the doctor had. But something was missing. His bangs seemed lower than they should be. Did he wear a headband?

"Do you want to come with us?" Ed asked.

Deidara found himself saying, "Sure. Why not?"


	2. Room to Grow

**Author's note: srry for the weird titles. I name my stuff after the music i listen to while writing cuz i suck at making up names**

Chapter 2: Room to Grow

Deidara gazed at the weird symbol on the scrap of paper. He recalled the words Al had spoken.

_Human kind cannot gain anything without first giving something of equal value. That is the first law of Equivalent Exchange._

After that part of the lesson, Deidara had become a little lost. Was it really that simple? Give up energy to gain power? What could you do with a body? A soul?

_Using humans and their souls is a forbidden practice-a taboo. Deidara, people will see your hands as human alchemy. Someone probably transmuted you when you were really young._

Deidara scowled at his palms. They opened their mouths. He smashed them into the ground as though he could suffocate them. He would stick to the beautiful, ephemeral sculptures that Alphonse had taught him to create. Any kind of weapon would surely cost a life.

As he pulled his hands away from the loose dirt, something resonated with him. His hands were doing something. The doctor had said something about muscle memory-an action that the body remembers and reacts to. He turned his palms upward. The mouths were chewing the dirt greedily. He closed his hands and the mouths spat out a bird sculpture each.

Deidara hurled the two white birds into the air. Surprisingly, they flew away.

"Change of plans!" Ed yelled, "We gotta go!" Deidara lept to his feet. He raced to the monstrous, snorting Iron Dragon. Ed and Al were already on and reaching out to him.

"Come on!" Al encouraged as Deidara hesitated. Deidara jumped the quickly growing gap. His right foot found resistance. But his left foot did not. Four hands gripped him.

"That was close," Ed grunted as he helped Al haul Deidara over the rail. Deidara looked back just in time to see a huge explosion in the sky.

"WHOA!" the two brothers cried.

"How beautiful," Deidara breathed. The fleeting fire was somehow redolent...familiar...

"Beautiful? We could've been caught in that!" Al pointed out.

The three ventured into the Iron Dragon.

***

Deidara seemed fascinated with the train. Ed was a little fascinated with the way the weirdo kept opening and closing the window and being overjoyed with the function of glass. And he kept calling the train an "Iron Dragon". He asked a ton of questions, but Ed tried to answer all the questions patiently.

But then, in the middle of answering a question, Al caught a little girl in front of them staring. He waved shyly. Ed stopped his answer. The girl ducked down and whispered loudly, "Mommy, those guys are really weird. That guy must really like armor a lot to wear it everywhere. And the blond boys must really like trains."

"Maron, don't be so rude," the little girl's mother chastised. Ed stood up and looked at the other passengers. They were all gazing at the motley crew.

"Nothing to see here folks!" Ed said. When he sat down he said quietly, "What, did we get tickets on the Normalcy Express?"

"Brother, am I really that weird?" Al asked.

"No. Al, you're way cool, and you know it."

The little girl was looking over the seats again.

"You aren't afraid of him, are you?" Ed asked.

"Nope!" the little girl chirped.

"Okay, Maron, that's enough," the mother sighed.

Deidara sighed, "Hey, what does it cost to make something that explodes?"

"Not much. Why?"

"That explosion...I think I made it. But I don't know how. My hands-they ate the soil. Then, there were these birds...and then the explosion was in the sky..."

The two brothers gaped at their blond stranger. The stranger in question took some clay from his pouches. He reproduced the birds and threw them out the window. Two minutes later, an explosion of greater proportion sounded in the distance.

"N-no way," Al gasped, "You didn't use a circle at all!"

"No, I didn't. But, there was some kind of energy that went out from me...kind of. But maybe there are circles in the tongues or something, you know?"

Ed reached out to touch the space where the mouths were. He poked them gently. But the mouths stayed shut.

"Huh, you're full of surprises, aren't you?" Ed said.

"So, what exactly does alchemy entail?" Deidara demanded, "I want more than what you've explained so far."

And thusly, Ed and Al began to educate Deidara in the fine world of chemistry and science.

***

Al watched over Deidara and Ed as they slept. Most of the passengers were sleepy from the hot day.

A man with graying hair rushed in and took a good look at Ed and Deidara.

"There are two guys with him! And one of them is sorta' small..." the man said.

"WHO YOU CALLING SO SMALL IT TAKES A MICROSCOPE TO SEE HIM?" Ed raged, suddenly very not asleep. Deidara did not seem to phased for some reason.

"Sorry, kid," the older man said, backing up a lot, "The colonel said-"

Some men in seats close to the old man pulled out guns.

"No one try to be a hero!" one of the captors snarled to the roused passengers.

Ed and Al found themselves unable to do anything but stand uselessly as the men checked each individual passenger for weapons. All the while Deidara remained asleep.


	3. Undertow

Chapter 3: Undertow

Lieutenant Colonel Mustang glared at the phone. The connection hadn't cut off suddenly. Hughs had hung up.

"So it begins," he muttered.

***

Deidara gripped the top of the train. The mouth-hands gripped with him. The wind bit at his face in a familiar way, and a sense of objective. Ed tried to stand up beside him. He could do this because of the weird heaviness of his left leg. Yet, if he tried to move too quickly, the lightness of his right leg would throw his balance off, and the tiny shrimp would probably slide right of the edge of the train.

A branch was coming up quickly. Deidara opened his mouth to warn Ed, but the words didn't come fast enough.

***

_Ed and Al tried to hold still and look small, but Ed couldn't look small. And, inevitably, one of the captors took notice of the unusual brothers. He aimed the gun at Al._

_"At off the helmet," he ordered._

_Ed stiffened and paled. He pointed behind the men and yelped, "LOOK!"_

_The two men didn't see the knee or fist coming. When Ed landed, he was astounded to see Deidara still sleeping. What was up with this kid? Did alchemy take more than the usual out of him?_

_"Dumb kid, we would've been just fine if we'd cooperated," a man growled, "What'll happen when the others come back and find their comrades knocked out. We're the ones who'll have to pay for it."_

_"Crap, I didn't plan for this..." Ed whispered._

_"You don't plan for anything!" Al hissed back. They didn't see the captor moving to get up until the gun was pointed at a girl and her mother. The gun fired-_

_-and the man began screaming. Deidara was suddenly standing on the man's hand with his other foot moving away from breaking the man's nose._

_"What the heck were you doing asleep like that?" Ed demanded._

_"I wanted to assess the situation without being a target," Deidara said calmly. "We should find their leader and take him out."_

_"We'll have to go to the front of the train then," Ed sighed._

_"Wait," a man called out, "Over here." The older man who seemed to have instigated the whole affair slid out from the place he was bound._

_He turned out to be Falman, an officer on board. Rebels had taken over the train._

***

Ed felt his head hit the top of the train. Something sharp bit into his flesh and blood ankle and it was starting to hurt.

"Tell me that isn't what I think it is!" he yelled.

"It isn't!" Deidara yelled back unconvincingly. "Do you have a hand-hold yet? I have an idea."

"No, I can't find one!"

"Try to hold onto me."

Ed sat up against gravity, velocity, and wind resistance all at the same time. He reached and grabbed Deidara by the arm. Deidara was doing something with clay and his hands. He fiddled around with it for a moment before he stuck some on Ed's shoes, doing the same for his own.

"What's that supposed to do?" Ed demanded.

"It's sticky enough to help us walk, but we can still move. Come on."

***

Hughs couldn't believe what he'd seen. The boy with the black cloak had two hideous mouths on his hands. He'd done something with clay-probably alchemy, and both he and Ed were walking along the top of the train much more easily.

Mustang had mentioned that Ed and Al had brought someone with them. His name was Deidara and he seemed to be an alchemist without much memory. There was something about amnesia.

The two boys were just a train car away now. Hughs decided to reveal himself before they came across him. He didn't know how the Deidara boy would react.

***

Ed noticed Deidara reaching into his pouch. But he was hesitating.

Up ahead was a man in a violet shirt. Ed tensed for battle, but the man didn't seem to be armed. There was something rather...fun about the man. As if he was good-natured and nice. Like he didn't want to attack unless you did first.

"Be on your guard," Deidara said, "This very well could be a trap."

The two boys approached more slowly now. The man made little move except to steady himself. When they were only a few feet away, they stopped.

"You must be Ed," the man called to the wind, "Mustang told me about you. And this must be that kid you picked up, Deidara."

"You know the Lieutenant?" Ed yelped.

"Yup, the name's Hughs. Come on, I'll help out."


	4. Road Paved in Gold

**Author's note: Srry for the delay ppl. Got really sick, but i managed to finnish!**

Chapter 4: A Road Paved in Gold

The two trigger-happy guards were super-twitchy. Bald had specifically said not to shoot unless provoked. So both of them were itching for the smallest excuse to shoot the engineers.

Ed lowered and stuck his tongue out at the guards. When they looked, there was nothing there.

"You're way heavy!" Deidara grunted. He held Ed by the ankles and fought the wind resistance that threatened to topple him.

"NOW NOW NOW!" Ed yelled. Deidara dropped the shrimp, and it jumped into the engine car. As Deidara followed more slowly, he could hear massive injuries occurring.

Deidara took a look at the two unconscious guards. One had a knife through the hand while the other had his collar bone absolutely shattered.

"Good work," Deidara said. He liked the idea of knives for some reason. Ed had explained the concept of guns, but knives seemed better. They wouldn't run out of bullets, and they reflected the heart of the wielder. The more you wish to kill your enemy, the deeper the knife will penetrate.

"We've got to help the general," Hughs said. Deidara and Ed began to climb up the side of the train. A bullet ricochet off the top of the engine car and sliced open the back of Deidara's hand.

Ed felt the air around him go cold. He almost heard the snap in his friend's head. Deidara's icy eyes nearly burned a hole in the iron.

A black figure raced up and over the train and threw two white objects at the man firing. Two quick explosions ended the gunfire. Deidara seemed to have gone somewhere that he wouldn't be returning from immediately. Ed followed.

"Careful! That box of tinder is the life of this train!" an engineer hollered.

"Box of tinder?" Ed repeated to himself. Then, an idea came into his mind.

But his plan couldn't be put in to affect before Deidara took off. A mere ghost of a figure jumped into the front car, and Ed had to work quickly.

***

Bald faced the brat. He'd taken down the others. Anyone who had posed any kind of threat was dead. Yet Bald remained. The blond brat seemed to be tired out.

"So, the military is feeding kids into the slaughter house now, is it?" Bald laughed. The kid turned his gaze on Bald, assessing the large man. There was something weird about him. It was as if he didn't belong. The way he moved, his bone structure, his insane eyes- none of it fit the rest of the world somehow.

The boy did not respond.

"Attention gun-toting extremists! Give yourselves up immediately!" a voice yelled.

"I can take you, you snot-nosed brat."

"No? Well, hang on to something and get ready for some turbulence!"

A huge pipe appeared, and water flooded the car. Deidara was thrown into a wall. The water drained from the train car. Bald glared at the pipe.

"Let's face it, you probably needed a bath anyway," Hughs pointed out. Bald threw out his arm to Hughs and shots were fired.

"You're a real pest. Time to exterminate," he grinned.

"Not before me!" Ed yelled. Bald looked up just in time to get a knee to his face. He stumbled back, avoiding having the runt land on him.

Bald lunged, and Ed grappled with him. They locked hands-usually a fatal maneuver in wrestling. Yet both opponents stayed their ground. Metal hit metal with a hollow toll like a gong.

"What do you know, two automailers battling it out," Ed growled.

"You know what it's like, kid. To be in the military and want power. I know too. I wanted this upgraded arm, but the higher-ups didn't let me. They thought I'd be more powerful than my superiors. Shortly after I got the procedure, I got discharged. Don't let them fool you kid," Bald growled back.

"I'm not with the military; I'm on my own. And don't you ever lump in my reasons for this arm with your own!" Ed was small, yes. And his arm was smaller than Bald's, yes. But for some reason, his hand completely crushed Bald's automail.

"Damn brat!" he yowled, falling back a few steps. He was caught by a rather large hand. When he turned to face the person behind him, a gloved hand smacked him square in the jaw. He fell slowly, beginning with his knees. Then, his body fell onto his back. Lastly, his head hit the ground with a dull thud and a slight bounce of the head.

"Good job, Al," Ed grinned.

Bald and his band of rebels sat tied in the train station. Bald sat away from the rest, fuming silently. Lieutenant Colonel Mustang approached him.

"I told you not to take a life," he said, "And it seems you did just that."

Bald grinned. His automail arm cut through his ropes and he sprang up with a war cry.

Mustang snapped his fingers, and Bald went up in flames, screaming bloody murder, accompanied by a very not-asleep Deidara. He gazed at the burning man in horror as the flames smoldered into nothing. He couldn't take his eyes off the still living man as Mustang said something arrogant.

Ed rushed up to Mustang. "Hey! You knew. That's why you made us take this train. You put us at risk on purpose."

"Come on, Ed, you think I've got the whole world on strings? Anyway, you should focus on the good news here. The general heard about your exploits saving the train and agreed to make a special exception. He's going to let you take the state alchemy exam. You're going to be the talk of the military, kid."

"Exception?" Ed murmured, then exclaimed, "But you always said we could take it! That's the reason we came!"

He pointed his finger accusingly at Mustang. The arrogant man smirked, "Be realistic, Ed. The state's never let a _kid_ take a _military_ exam before. _But_ I guess luck's on your side. Good thing you took that earlier train, don't you think?"

Ed was flabbergasted. Al gasped, and Deidara didn't quite know how to react.

Mustang began walking past Ed. Before he left, he put his hand on Ed's shoulder, "Wether or not you take the test is still up to you. I'm not _trying_ to run your life." Ed stood there for a moment, stunned, as Mustang made his smooth escape.

When the shock was gone, he whirled, "Of course I'll still take it! And pass! I would've done it anyway!"

The army people cleared out. Al came up to his brother, Deidara in tow. "Those people had us dancing right in the palms of their hands, didn't they? I guess it doesn't matter what we do, we'll never be the ones in control."

"Control? They have no control over your actions. You will always have one option," Diedara pointed out.

"What's that?" Ed asked dejectedly.

"Blow them up," he said simply, "There's an option. Then, you can always to choose not to do anything. See? There are more options than even I thought. But I'd blow them up."

For some reason, Ed couldn't help but collapse laughing.


	5. Life is Wonderful

**Author's note: I just read bits and pieces of Naruto (all with Deidara in them), and I've realized the error of my ways. The beginning scene wasn't exactly accurate to anything in the actual story, but that's why this is fanfiction ^.^. Sorry for the delay. **

Chapter 5: Life is Wonderful

"So, boys, you're really convinced you're ready for this," Mustang said.

"That's right, just tell me what to wear to graduation," Ed snorted.

Deidara picked at his black fingernails. He bent over and peeked at Ed's clear scraggly nails. They were clear, not black. Mustang had clear nails, too.

"Careful, Ed, I'd hate for you to get cocky," Mustang said, handing Ed a clipboard. "As you know, you find your own training. I suggest him."

"'Sewing-life alchemist', huh?" Ed said, unconvinced. Deidara pulled at the ring on his hand. Neither Ed nor Mustang wore rings. And Al didn't take off his armor for a third opinion.

"Shou Tucker...practically wrote the book on bringing things to life," Mustang said with all the conviction and power of the words of Fate. Ed and Al sat up a little straighter while Deidara pulled at the stupid ring.

Mustang faced Ed and Al. Deidara sat to his left. The odd boy didn't seem to be able to read, but he did seem to enjoy technology...as if he'd never seen even a car before.

"Two years ago Mr. Tucker used alchemy to create a chimera that could actually speak our language. Quite a feat," Mustang said. Ed and Al were taken by this information, but Deidara didn't seem to find this out of the ordinary at all. Perhaps this was because didn't hear a thing as he picked at his black nails and the ring that wouldn't come off. He only seemed to be aware of his surroundings when Ed and Al got out of the car. When Ed and Al gazed at him, he put his hands in his pockets.

"Arooo!" a huge shadow howled.

Deidara sidestepped the dog, and the huge thing landed right on top of Ed. He pet the fluffy dog with his odd hands. He wondered if he should start wearing gloves like Ed did.

"What a big dog," Al said, patting the dog on the head.

"Don't just stand there. Get him off me!" Ed whined.

"That's bad, Alexander," a childish voice scolded. The three looked up and saw a scruffy man and a little girl in the doorway. Deidara stiffened. There was something off about this man. He could feel it. They went into the mansion, and this "Sou Tucker" picked up a few books. It was a mess, but somewhere in his mind, Deidara knew he'd lived in worse.

"Hey, Dad, Bigger Brother's clothes are like our pots and pans," the little girl said.

"Nina," Sou sighed.

"Aren't they heavy?" she asked.

"Bigger Brother is very strong," Al chuckled. Nina grinned. Then, she glanced over at Deidara.

"Mr. Tucker, I know these boys have some unusual traits, but I hope you can overlook them for now until you get a chance to talk to them. For now, take them as they are," Mustang said.

"Um," Nina said, shuffling in front of Deidara, "Um..." He knelt down.

"Is there something you need?" he asked gently.

"Um...are you..." she mumbled.

"Am I what?" he encouraged.

"Are you going to be..." she mumbled the rest.

"You're going to have to speak up," Ed said. Everyone was leaning in to hear what little Nina had to say. Even Mustang was showing a little interest.

"Are you going to be my big sister?" Nina asked boldly, at last. Ed burst out laughing.

"Hah! You're a pretty _girl_! Ha! Let's put you in a dress and braid your hair!" Ed hooted, "We can play house, and you can be Mommy!"

"Look who's talking, shorty!" Deidara snarled, "Your hair's in a braid!"

"Yeah, but you're big sister," Ed grinned. Al and Nina could almost see the horns he'd grown. There was an extra evil glint in Ed's eyes.

"You know what? You're right, I look like a girl," Deidara admitted. He blushed and hugged Ed. "So, be kind to me. Kiss me, you fool!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAUGH!"

"Here's the reference room," Sou said, showing them a private library.

"Are these all on alchemy?" Al gasped. Ed ran past them and began reading the books.

"Yes, but this is nothing compared to the State Library. Once you become state alchemists, you'll have access to exponentially more information than this."

"Um, do you have any ice?" Al asked.

"Oh, yes, we were going to get your friend some ice," Sou remembered.

"I'm fine," Deidara chuckled, "He who laughs last laughs hardest."

"He who laughs last thinks slowest," Ed muttered.

"I heard that," Deidara called. He rubbed his aching jaw. Ed's right hook was strong. He browsed the books, unable to read anything. He passed a title he could read.

"Ah, this!" Deidara gasped, "I can read this!"

"You can read that? Then you can have it," Sou said, "I bought that book because I saw it laying open with a chimera symbol in it. But when I got home, I realized I couldn't read a page of that scribble."

Deidara read it with fierce determination.

"What else is in it?" Ed asked. He'd been torn from his reading to look at it.

"It has a human transmutation circle in it, and one connected with homunculi. Other than those, I'm not sure. I only scoured it for what I could read. It all looks like scribbles to me," Sou sighed. Ed peeked over Deidara's shoulder. The words _were _scribbles. It wasn't just sloppy printing. This book had been completely handwritten in a different language. And Deidara was reading it from top to bottom, right to left. How weird.

"So, did you make any progress on your studies?" Sou asked.

"Yeah, but the more I learned, the more I realized I have so much more I need to learn."

"Yes, the more steps we take forward, the longer we see the path is ahead. But you shouldn't worry about becoming a state alchemist, yet. You're young."

Deidara tuned them out. This book...it was filled with so much. He understood now. He looked over the author's name once more.

"Do you know of someone called 'Van Hohenheim'?" Deidara asked.

"I've heard of him, but most of what I've heard are rumors. They say he's a powerful alchemist, but that's really all I know," Sou said.

"Why would you ask about a guy like that?" Ed snorted.

"Because he helped write this book. If I could meet him, I could ask him what language this is and who the other person who wrote this is."

"Doesn't it say?"

"The name is scratched out."

"Bigger Brother, why aren't you eating?" Nina asked, "You have to eat to grow strong!"

Al was about to protest, but he sighed and put the food in his empty shell, anyway. He felt the heat of a gaze, and turned to see Deidara's watchful, knowing eyes.

Al lay on the floor awake.

"So, are you a ghost?" Deidara asked from the bed.

"Me? No. I lost my body, and my brother tied my soul to this suit of armor to save me."

"I didn't have much time," Ed said sheepishly. Deidara didn't say a thing.

"So, you aren't disgusted with me?" Al asked.

"No. You're not the one with a mouth on each hand," he said.

"I have a question. If you don't like people calling you a girl, why do you have such long hair? Even brother's hair isn't that long."

"I like my hair long, besides...," Deidara said. He grinned and made a kissing noise.

"Want a black eye to go with that bruise?" Ed growled. Al and Deidara chuckled.

Ed was cooped up in the reference room. Books were all around him. Most lay open, and he checked them often. Deidara was still studying the same book as the first day. He was learning how to read other things, but he always went back to the scribbles. He'd a little file in that scribble language.

There was a commotion outside. Alexander was barking.

"Probably used Al as a hydrant," Ed muttered as he went to check. Deidara didn't look up. There was an even bigger commotion outside. He didn't twitch to look up or move from his spot.

"Help! Big Sister!" Nina screamed. Deidara leapt to his feet and was out the door. He faced ice cold snow almost as though he'd never seen it before.

"Big Sister, help me!" Nina squealed as she hid behind him. Deidara crouched and grabbed Nina. He tumbled away from the spot. Ed and Al stood, poised to throw more snow.

"Come on! It's a snow ball fight!" Al laughed.

"Or are you afraid you'll break your pretty black nails, _Big Sister_?" Ed goaded. Deidara fell back.

"Are you okay?" Al asked. Deidara's blue eyes gazed at the sky. He and Ed crept closer. The young man was just looking at the sky. Nina frowned in the worried way kids do.

"I thought you were in trouble," he said quietly. "I think I was about to hurt Bigger Brother and Little Big Brother."

"But you wouldn't hurt them," Nina said, "Because you're Big Sister, and family never hurts each other."

For some reason, Deidara laughed. Nina lay beside him, and Ed and Al flopped down, too.

"Will you stay?" Nina asked, "Even after you take the test, will you stay? It gets lonely with Alexander, my dad, and me."

"We won't be able to stay, but we'll visit," Ed promised.

"When I find out who I am, I promise I'll bring all my friends and family over for you to see. We'll have a big party, and you'll be the guest of honor," Deidara said. Something occurred to him after the words were out. What if his friends were a little rough around the edges? That would scare Nina.

"Hey, I wanna show you something," Ed said. He drew an alchemic circle in the snow. Nina crouched over.

"What's that?" she asked.

"It's and alchemic circle. If I have a wish, it helps it to come true. Watch," he said. Deidara couldn't believe what he was seeing. Ed was making flowers from the snow. He looked closer. No, Ed was making the flowers _beneath_ the snow and earth grow. You could make life happen? But human alchemy was forbidden. What was the difference between this life and a human life?

As the puzzled blond young man thought this over, Maes Hughes came up to them. He was still pondering this as he got into one of the smelly motorized cars. He didn't think there were cars where he came from. Like the Iron Dragon, they stank, yet they were fascinating. He'd learned that these machines harnessed the power of explosions to propel them forward. Fascinating.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"Weren't you listening?" Ed mocked, "Or did you have all that hair in your ears. We're going to Hughes' house for my birthday celebration."

"Birthday? What's that?"

Ed sighed, "You're hopeless."

"And you're brainless, what's the difference?"

"Who're you calling brainless, Mr. I-can't-read?"

"I can read that scribble language!"

"Yeah, you can read a child's scribbling, real impressive."

"Everyone, I'd like you to meet my beautiful wife, Gracia," Hughes boasted about the woman at his side.

"Your stomach is a mellon!" Ed gasped.

"Are you pregnant?" Al asked.

"Why yes, I am," Gracia said.

"Doesn't all that weight hurt when you lay down?" Deidara asked.

"Not really. Oh, the baby is kicking. Would you like to feel?"

"I do!" Nina cried happily. She put her mittened hand on Gracia's belly. Deidara gently put a gloved hand on the belly, too. He jumped a moment later.

"I felt it move!" Nina squealed.

The celebration passed as though it was only a minute. The food was delicious, but Deidara had troubles eating with a spoon and fork for some reason. They told stories, and there was laughter. Ed stood against Al, Maes, and Deidara to see how tall he was. He barely came to Deidara's shoulder.

"I guess if you ever want to be tall, we'll have to put you on a taffy pull," Hughes chuckled.

"Who're you calling so small he could be a sprinkle?" Ed snarled.

"No one said that," Deidara said, "Besides, how tall were your parents?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Ed demanded.

"I'm a terrible judge of age, but you're what, about fourteen? Fifteen?"

"We'll say that. Go on."

"Well, if you're not twenty, you still have hope. If your parents were tall people, then you've got a good chance you'll be tall, too. After all, they made you. If you give yourself some time, you might grow taller. If it really worries you, drink more milk."

"But milk is gross. And I'm not sure I want to be like my dad."

"You don't have to be like your parents. Though you're from them, you aren't them. You can be whoever or whatever you want, just go out with a bang."

Ed locked eyes with the blue-eyed stranger.

"Who wants seconds on birthday tea? Oh!" Gracia yelped. She fell over. Maes went to his wife's side.

"What's wrong?" he begged.

"It's here," she grunted.

"The tea?"

"The _baby_."

"But the doctor said it wasn't due until next week!"

"Well the baby says _now_, and I'm pretty sure she get's to choose."

"Okay, I'll get your things."

"But it's a blizzard out there!" Al pointed out.

"Ah, you're right!" Hughes cried, "I'll go get the doctor!" And two minutes later, he was gone. Deidara staggered under the weight of carrying the pregnant woman. Ed and Al cowered to the side. The woman cried out and clutched at her stomach. Deidara set her on the sofa.

"What do we need to do to help?" Ed asked.

"Hot water and some towels," she said, grimacing in pain. Ed rushed to the kitchen to heat the water, and Al scurried around, looking for towels. Nina clung to Deidara's long black coat.

"Here's the water," Ed announced as he brought it in.

"Put it there on the floor," Gracia grunted as her face contorted.

"Breathe in through your nose and out through your nose," Deidara suggested, "It will put your mind into a state apart from your body so it hurts less."

Gracia tried, but a cry of pain broke her rhythm.

"Ah! I can feel its head!" she yelled.

"She can feel its head? What does that mean?" Ed squealed. Nina bawled, and Al ran around screaming uselessly. Gracia stopped yelling and went limp.

"AAAAAUGH!" the three wimps cried, "She's dead!"

"Shut up!" Deidara said, smacking Ed's head into Al's armor chest, "She's not dead. She's tired and needs you to be quiet."

Somehow, Deidara's calm made them all sober up. Nina felt the water.

"Damn, surely alchemy could help her somehow. If only I could relieve her pain or something," he snarled, slapping his hands together.

"Little Big Brother, the water's very cold."

"Ah, I'll get that," he said, reaching over to pick the tub up. Blue electricity snapped all over with an explosion of steam.

"You heated the water? How'd you do that without a transmutation circle?" Al demanded.

"I...have no idea," Ed gasped.

Hughes and the doctor arrived. And the baby girl was delivered.

"Sorry we were so useless," Ed apologized.

"What are you talking about?" Gracia said, "You did great. You heated the water, brought out the towels, and were there for me. You did a great job."

Deidara looked over his shoulder at Ed, "You were pretty useless, though."

Ed was amazed at Deidara. The guy gave off this I'm-a-bad-boy-I'm-so-tough aura, but when it came down to it, he was a sucker for kids. But maybe he was fascinated with the tiny little hands that were wrinkled and perfect.

"Brother, are you awake?" Al asked.

"Yeah," he said.

"Do you think I was that soft when I was born? And that warm?"

"Al, you were soft until you were five," Ed teased, but it wasn't funny. Al sniffled.

"I was transmuted while still in my mother's stomach..." Deidara said, "How did that happen?"

"Well, it was in her stomach or not long after you were born," Ed clarified.

"But who would want to do that to a baby? To something so harmless? I don't understand."

"Neither do I."


End file.
